Craft Project – PVC Water Blaster

Follow these instructions (and the video) to make a water blaster! 

Instructions (see video for details/example)

What You Will Need

Materials

  • 2-inch-by-24-inch Schedule 40 PVC pipe
  • 1¼-inch-by-24-inch PVC pipe
  • Two 2-inch PVC caps
  • Two 1¼-inch PVC caps
  • 1¼-inch PVC coupler
  • 1.6-inch ID by 0.21-inch O-ring
  • PVC glue
  • Tube of waterproof silicone grease

1. Cut the pipe

Start with the skinny 24-inch PVC pipe. Saw off a 2-inch piece – this’ll be part of your piston. Smooth those rough edges with some sandpaper so nothing snags.

2. Drill the nozzle

Grab a 2-inch PVC cap and drill one ¼-inch hole – or go wild with a few ⅛-inch holes. Want a “shotgun” splash? Try three small holes close together. Feeling fancy? A thin ⅛-inch slit works too.
Then, take a second 2-inch cap and drill a 1¾-inch hole right in the middle. That’s your piston guide.

3. Glue the piston

Time to assemble the piston:
Apply PVC glue to both the 2-inch piece you just cut and one end of the remaining 22-inch pipe. Stick both ends into the PVC coupler.
Slide an O-ring over the short pipe, then glue a 1¼-inch cap to that end. Boom – piston complete!

4. Build (and grease) the barrel

Let’s build the barrel. Glue your newly-drilled nozzle cap (the one with holes or slit) onto the end of the 24-inch pipe. Let it set for 15 minutes.
Once it’s dry, smear a bit of grease inside the pipe. That’s going to keep everything sliding smoothly.

5. Assemble the water blaster

Slide the piston into the barrel. Move it back and forth to spread the grease and create a watertight seal.
Next, guide the piston guide (that cap with the big 1¾-inch hole) over the piston and onto the pipe. Don’t glue this part – you’ll need it to move.
Finally, glue the remaining 1¼-inch cap to the other end of the piston. You’re locked and loaded.

6. Get wet

It’s go time.
Dip the business end into water – lake, pool, bucket, whatever. Pull back to fill the chamber, then push forward to blast your target.

Helpful Tip

If you find that your O-ring is not quite large enough for a tight seal, you can try slipping it over one or two small rubber bands. It worked for us.

If you have any questions or comments about this video, please send them to info@calvinistcadets.org.